Maresca’s Already Got City Players Studying Tape Like It’s Midseason

Antoine Semenyo isn’t even a month into Enzo Maresca’s system and he’s already noticed something familiar about the new boss.

The guy is obsessive about details. Just like the last guy.

Maresca took over for Pep Guardiola earlier this summer and just wrapped up his second week running training sessions at the City Football Academy. The squad is now in Hong Kong ahead of Saturday’s friendly against Inter Milan, part of a three-game Asia tour that also includes stops in Seoul for matches against a K League All-Stars side and Atletico Madrid. The Community Shield and the start of Premier League play are right around the corner.

Players Are Feeling the Specificity

Semenyo says the sessions so far have been intense in a very specific way. Maresca doesn’t let much slide.

“Very good, very detailed,” Semenyo told the club’s media team. “He’s got an eye for detail and he wants everything to be right, which is quite similar to Pep. That’s good for us as players so we’ve enjoyed it so far.”

That kind of attention to detail isn’t new for this group. Guardiola was famous for it. But the fact that Maresca is already earning that comparison from a player who’s only been at the club since January says something about how quickly he’s established his authority.

Welcome to Hong Kong

City landed in Hong Kong to a crowd of fans packed outside the hotel. That kind of reception is hard to miss. Semenyo said it reminded him and the rest of the squad just how far City’s reach extends.

“The club are global and have a lot of fans. Getting to the hotel from the airport and seeing so many people welcoming us shows the great support we have out here and we look forward to playing in front of them.”

The matches against Inter and Atletico aren’t just for show. Both are Champions League-caliber opponents, and Semenyo sees those games as a real test of where this team is at before the season starts for real.

“It prepares the players here for the season ahead. There’s a lot of tough teams in the Premier League and Champions League and Inter and Atletico are two of those so we know that playing those at this stage is a good test for us.”

Semenyo has already logged 27 appearances for City since his January move and went to the World Cup with Ghana. But he says he’s fresh and ready for the grind ahead.

“My body feels good. I like to think I’m well rested. The manager gave me a couple of weeks to relax and reset so I’m happy to be back with the boys and looking forward to the new season.”

All three Asia tour games will stream live on mancity.com and the club’s official app for CITY+ subscribers. That includes Saturday’s 12:30 p.m. UK kickoff against Inter in Hong Kong, followed by the K League All-Stars on August 5 and Atletico on August 9, both at noon UK time. Subscriptions run £34.99 annually or £9.99 monthly. Blackout restrictions apply in certain regions including Italy, China, South Korea, and Spain.